Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-11-27
A GLASS OF WINE.
Some Old Wine In Old
Bottles.
HOW WINES ARE DOCTORED.
Madeira of 1812-Disr@li and
Fizz-The Merchants Hook.
Chaflis and Sauterne.

A dozen years ago q wellknown
Londoner was dining at the Crystal
Palace, splus, when to him came Mr..
John Bertram, the famous caterer,
who said: "Now, if you're not in q
hurry I've got a treat for you. /
bought cellar of wine the her day,
the property OF an old city man who
recently died in his fine mansion at
Bohemian, and among the accumu-
lations of himself and his father be-
fore him L found, deep down in the
sawdust, three bottles that would
neither stand nor lie quiet on the ia
BILE. They are the most extraordi-
nary specimens of glass-blowing 1
ever saw. One OF them has label
marked in faded ink: Madeira, 1922
and 1 want somebody to join me in il"
So he sat down and presently the ir-
regular cylinder OF brown glass was
produced. Mr.. Bertram inserted q
corkscrew and the stopper come out
there is no other word for it.
"slick." It was really no more solid
than lump of butter in cold weather.
Dilettante, delicate glasses were care
fully wiped, and from the bottle was
poured a fluid of the palest amber.
"Pale Madeira" said the caterer.
A rarity, is it not? said the guest.
Then both took their glasses and
silently pledged health. An ex-
press on OF the utmost gusto illumin-
ated the faces of the two as they
raised the crystal and its contents to
their lips. Sixty-year-old Madeira
was not wine of every day. Stimuli
taneously strange look came over
their countenances their eyes bull ed;
their facia muscles worked, and them
then the carpet suffered! Jalap would
have been nectar in comparison with
that fluid. The politeness OF no man
alive would have been equal to swal-
loving it. Bitter, fetid, acrid was
the MADEIRA of 1872" Every par
ticle of the tannin in the cork had
gone into the wine, and it needed q
petit perre of old cognac to restore the
palate to anything like condition.
and an undated bottle was
tried. This was of rich. brown hue,
and flowed out of the irregular bottle
like oil. Few people have ever tasted
a wine like that. 1t warmed the sys-
tenn like ginger brandy, and it very
soon removed the last lingering re-
mains of its predecessor = per-
haps of its contemporary. This
wine was simply priceless.
In the following winter
this Londoner had an invitation to
birthday festivity at Sandringham..
After u long day among the long-tails
for that is the society name for
pheasants-some of the party thought
they would like biscuit and a glass
Of wine before dinner. The princes
secretary suggested bottle of Madei-
ra. 1t was produced and said to be
his Royal Highness' Town particular.
The wine was wonder. 1t Was just
like the second bottle at the Crystal
Palace. And inquiry showed that it
cost the Prince about 15s ($3.60) a
bottle, and that nobody knew where
to get more of it when it was fin
ished. To-day probably it would be
worth twice as much in the open
Two summers ago a great
peer gave dinner in honor OF his
sisters impending marriage. 1t was,
with two exceptions, family party.
When the ladies had retired, the earl
said: "Now, before we take TO cigar
cites, l want you to try a glass OF my
special Madeira" The wine was pro-
duced. We all solemnly waited for
one another. Up went half u dozen
glasses together to the muttered toast
of ''tte bride and bridegroom. A
genial GLOW at once diff
ages OF the convives. "Where
did you get that?" said an ex-pro-
consul OF the first rank. "Oh, I've
lad that sixteen years. Do you like
it?" The reply was a general extern
sion of glasses for more. ''Yes,"
camly observed the host, good. isn't
it ?" "The best MADEIRA 1 ever
tasted" quoth the proconsul. my
dear fellow" the host exclaimed" l
bought that in Sicily thirteen years
ago. 1t is Marshall" And no man
could have told it from primest Ma
deira. 1t was of an exceptional vint-
age, and it would have deceived the
very elect.
Benjamin Disraeli was in the hey
day of his youth, dining at a great
Lady Blessjlgton's or
Lady Waldergrave's. A lew variety
Of :" tiizz," or 1.-THE boy" had just come
in. There was momentary lull in the
feast of re 4son and the flow of soul.
D'Israeli (for 80 he wrote his name at
the time) raj -ed his beaded glass and
eyed it curiously. $50 this is dry
?' said he. "Well, the
man who says he likes dry champagne
will -ay anything And there is no
doubt dry champagne is an acquired
taste, like olives or caviare. 1t may
be wholesome; it is exhilerating; but
many palates to the last detect
in 1t suggestion of common or
grocery alum. And probably any
woman who says she prefers dry
champagne or extra sec or brut is VIC
lating her inmost convictions, and
would much prefer glass of "Ma-
dame Veuve" as it used to be. Yet
west of Calais thinks OF put
ting on his table sweet champagne
He will present his guests
with II cheaper dry wine rather than
risk offending them with the wine
which was his fathers and mothers
idea fluid-if indeed they ever
tasted it at ALL For 'all the
world" drinks champagne now.
Everybody who is anybody will not
be without it at dinner. Yet, those
who have access to the very best
houses in London must know that
champagne only goes around once,
and generally champagne which has
been for some time opened, perhaps
even champagne which has been
decanted, though this fad is not so
much in vogue now as it was few
wears since. The man who takes
champagne twice at a private table
in the houses that rule the social